Former Youth Pastor Pleads Guilty to Transporting Minors for Sexual Activity

       LITTLE ROCK – A former Little Rock youth pastor pleaded guilty today to transporting minors across state lines for the purpose of unlawful sexual activity. Robert Shiflet, 50, now of Denton, Texas, entered his guilty plea earlier today before United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky. Cody Hiland, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Diane Upchurch, Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Field Office of the FBI, announced today’s guilty plea

      Shiflet pleaded guilty to two separate instances of criminal conduct. One of these accounts began in 1996, when Shiflet met a 14-year-old girl in the youth group he pastored in Denton, Texas. Shiflet frequently made inappropriate comments to the minor and often told her he loved her. In May of 1997, when the minor was 15 years old, Shiflet led an eighth grade camping trip to the Buffalo National River in Arkansas. Shiflet was able to isolate the minor away from the group and then sexually assaulted her. He told her not to tell anyone.

      Another minor reported that in 2002, when Shiflet was her youth pastor at a Little Rock church, Shiflet engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with her when she was 16 years old. Shiflet had sex with the minor multiple times during 2002-2003, when Shiflet was 32. In the summer of 2002, the youth group attended an event in Panama City, Florida. On that trip, Shiflet asked the minor to ride on the charter bus with him instead of riding on another bus with her friends. On the bus ride, he sexually assaulted the minor.

      “This defendant took advantage of his position of trust as a mentor to young people and instead used his power to isolate and sexually abuse them,” stated U.S. Attorney Hiland. “This predatory behavior is never acceptable, but it is particularly disturbing when the offender is a youth pastor. Our office will continue to aggressively pursue those who commit these deplorable crimes.”

      Shiflet was indicted in June 2020 with three counts of transportation of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of coercion of a minor to engage in sexual activity. In exchange for his guilty plea, the remaining charges were dismissed.

      Judge Rudofsky will sentence Shiflet at a later date. Transportation of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity is punishable by not more than 15 years imprisonment and not more than three years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant.

Bay Area Man Pleads Guilty to Central Valley-Based Marijuana Trafficking Conspiracy

 FRESNO, Calif. — Tien Van Phan, 56, of the San Jose area, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana that was shipped from Fresno to Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, agents intercepted calls between co-defendants Elias Zambrano Jr., of Fresno; Tan Minh Vo, of San Jose; Halen Steven Patrick Frazier, of Kingsville, Missouri; and David Agustus McGowan, of Kansas City, Missouri, regarding the coordination of the shipment of approximately 92 pounds of marijuana to Frazier in Kansas City. On Nov. 9, 2018, law enforcement agents saw Phan load two suitcases into Frazier’s vehicle in Kansas City. After conducting a traffic stop, 92 pounds of marijuana was seized from Frazier’s vehicle.

Phan is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 22, 2021. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Frazier previously entered a guilty plea to the drug conspiracy and was sentenced to two years and three months in prison. Patrick Maldonado, of Madera, and Zambrano, who also face charges relating to the cocaine and firearms, along with Vo, are scheduled for a status conference in federal court in Fresno on Dec. 14. As to these defendants, the charges are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force consisting of agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sheriff’s Offices of Tulare, Kings, and Fresno Counties, the Fresno Police Department, the Arizona Department of Health, and the Kansas City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.

Aryan Brotherhood Associate Pleads Guilty to a Racketeering Conspiracy that Directed Murders and Other Violent Crimes from Inside California Prisons

 SACRAMENTO, Calif. — One of 16 members and associates of the Aryan Brotherhood (AB), a prison-based gang, charged in 2019 for organized criminal activity inside and outside of California’s prisons has pleaded guilty today, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

Samuel Keeton, 41, of Menifee, an AB gang associate, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise (known as the “RICO” statute) and to conspiracy to distribute heroin and methamphetamine.

According to court documents, between 2011 and 2016, AB members and associates engaged in racketeering activity, committing multiple acts involving murder and drug trafficking offenses. From their shared cell in California State Prison (CSP) Sacramento, Ronald Yandell and William Sylvester oversaw a significant heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation using smuggled-in cellphones to communicate with AB members and associates.

In June 2019, sixteen defendants were indicted on federal racketeering and other charges. The allegations include murders, drug trafficking and other violent crimes. Nine of the defendants were inmates in California prisons and six of those were serving life sentences for murder.

According to the plea agreement, between March 2016 and at least October 2016, Keeton knowingly associated with the AB and knew that this group regularly engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity that included murder, assault, conspiracy to commit murder, and drug trafficking. For his part, Keeton assisted the AB by picking up and distributing methamphetamine and heroin on behalf of AB members Yandell, Sylvester, and Travis Burhop. Keeton also delivered drug proceeds to AB associates outside of prison. During the RICO conspiracy, Yandell, Sylvester, and Burhop were all incarcerated within the California prison system, and Keeton communicated with them over contraband cellphones.

As part of his guilty plea, Keeton admitted that he knew that Yandell and Sylvester were AB members based upon his discussions with them during 2016, including the crimes that he was asked to commit and that he agreed to commit, such as assisting in smuggling cellphones, drugs, and other contraband into prison. As part of the RICO conspiracy, on July 11, 2016, Keeton transported and delivered at least 100 grams of heroin from Southern California to Jeanna Quesenberry in Sacramento on behalf of Yandell and the AB. On Aug. 11, 2016, Keeton participated in a plot to smuggle methamphetamine and other contraband into CSP Sacramento for Sylvester with the agreement and assistance of Kevin MacNamara, a licensed California lawyer living in Southern California. Keeton also collected AB drug money on Aug. 12, 2016.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Vallejo Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office.

Keeton is scheduled for a hearing regarding sentencing before U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on March 29, 2021. Keeton faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a fine up to $10 million. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Charges against the other defendants are pending. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Akron Man Sentenced to More than Five Years in Prison for Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine Conspiracy

 HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart today announced that Lennie T. Whisenant, Jr., 26, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.  

“Whisenant was dealing meth in Huntington and Charleston and is now headed to federal prison,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “As long as out of state drug dealers keep peddling their poisons in this District, they will be prosecuted.”   

Whisenant previously pled guilty and admitted that during the months of April and May of 2019, he participated in a conspiracy with multiple individuals to distribute methamphetamine in the Southern District of West Virginia.  During the conspiracy, Whisenant and others utilized a residence located at 1235 25^th Street in Huntington to store methamphetamine after it was shipped from the Akron area.  Whisenant and others then conducted distributions of the methamphetamine to various customers in the Huntington and Charleston areas.  Whisenant also reported back to sources in Akron regarding amounts of methamphetamine that had been sold and amounts that remained in Huntington.  As part of his plea, Whisenant admitted that he was responsible for distributing up to 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine during the conspiracy.    

This joint investigation was spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  Other agencies which participated and assisted in the investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the United States Marshals Service, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Akron, Ohio Police Department, and the Brecksville, Ohio Police Department.  United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.  Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-00245.

 

Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Charge

 HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart today announced that Derrick Pritchett, 37, of Huntington, pled guilty to an indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute heroin and marijuana.

“Pritchett had approximately 17 grams of heroin and 56 grams of marijuana in his car,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “Another Huntington drug dealer is snared in Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge.”

Pritchett admitted that on December 5, 2019, Troopers with the West Virginia State Police searched his vehicle located on Artisan Avenue in Huntington.  Troopers located approximately 17 grams of heroin and 56 grams of marijuana. 

Pritchett faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on March 1, 2021.

The West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation.   The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.  Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is handling the prosecution.

The case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), an enforcement surge that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:20-cr-00034.

 

$5K Reward Offered in Alpena, MI Burglary

 DETROIT — The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the National Shooting Sports Foundation – the trade association for the firearms industry – are announcing a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals responsible for the burglary of Full Bore Firearms, located at 1109 Crittenden Ct., Alpena, MI. ATF and NSSF are jointly offering a potential total reward of up to $5,000.

At approximately 4:00 a.m. on Nov. 21, at least two unknown suspects threw a brick through the front glass of the business and stole 49 firearms before leaving the scene.

This burglary is being investigated by ATF’s Detroit Field Division jointly with the Michigan State Police and the Alpena County Sheriff’s Office. Anyone having information about this incident should contact ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (888-283-8477). Individuals may also email ATFTips@atf.gov, or contact ATF through its website at www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips. Tips may also be submitted to ATF using the ReportIt® app, available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store, or by visiting www.reportit.com.

This reward is part of a larger national cooperative initiative between the NSSF and ATF in which NSSF matches ATF rewards in cases involving the theft of firearms from federally licensed retailers. ATF works closely with the members of the firearms industry to curb the criminal acquisition and misuse of firearms.

Dexter W. Long Sentenced to Prison for Drug Trafficking Crime

 Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Dexter Wilton Long, age 59, from Barrigada, Guam, was sentenced in the United States District Court of Guam to 87 months imprisonment for Possession of Fifty or More Grams of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)(viii).  The Court also ordered five years of supervised release following imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.  In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.

On May 9, 2019, Long was apprehended at the airport after arriving on Guam via United Airlines Flight 201.  A secondary inspection of his luggage resulted in the recovery of 430 net grams of 99% pure methamphetamine hydrochloride (“ice”).  The subsequent investigation revealed that Long had also mailed a package to himself from Honolulu that contained two separate bags containing 2.05 net grams of 98% pure methamphetamine and 182 net grams of 99% pure methamphetamine.

This case was a result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.  The case was prosecuted by Laura C. Sambataro, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam.

Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Possession of Child Pornography

 United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Possession of Child Pornography, was sentenced on November 23, 2020, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.

Dustin Red Legs, age 41, was sentenced to 264 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.

Red Legs was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 14, 2019.  He was found guilty by a jury at trial on July 31, 2020.

The conviction stemmed from an incident on September 24, 2018, when Red Legs knowingly used a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct in Eagle Butte, South Dakota.  Red Legs further knowingly possessed and attempted to possess material that contained an image of child pornography, which had been mailed and shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.

Red Legs was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

California Man Sentenced for Meth Trafficking

 United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Lancaster, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on November 23, 2020, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.

Bryan Howard a/k/a “Chase Profit,” age 32, was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Howard was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 12, 2019.  He pled guilty on February 10, 2020.

The conviction stemmed from incidents between May 1, 2015, and October 31, 2015, when Howard knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 1.5 kilograms or more of methamphetamine in South Dakota.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.

Howard was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy

 An Arizona man pleaded guilty this morning to conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Anthony Ward Irving, 36, pleaded guilty this morning before U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan.

“Anthony Irving’s recipe for illegal profit was a combination of methamphetamine, cell phones, drug couriers, and electronic transfers. He lived in Arizona but facilitated meth trafficking in Northeastern Oklahoma,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Thanks to a formidable partnership of state, local, and federal drug agents, Irving’s operation was disrupted and dismantled.”

In his plea agreement, Irving admitted that from January 2018 to February 2019, he knowingly conspired with codefendants, to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. During the same time period, he knowingly conspired with the same people to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin.

Irving admitted that his role in the conspiracy included acting as a broker for the transfer of drugs between bulk distributors in Arizona and associates in Northeast Oklahoma and elsewhere. Irving admitted that he and his codefendants agreed to distribute the drugs to make money for themselves. Although Irving lived in Arizona during the conspiracy, he acknowledged that some overt acts in furtherance of the conspiracy were performed in the Northern District of Oklahoma. Irving stated that he and his coconspirators coordinated drug deals from a distance through the use of cellular phones, drug couriers, and electronic transfers of cash.

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Duncombe is prosecuting the case.

Fort Thompson Man Sentenced for Aggravated Sexual Abuse

 United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse was sentenced on November 23, 2020, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.

Roland Hawk, Sr., age 52, was sentenced to 222 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Hawk was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 9, 2019.  He pled guilty on June 16, 2020.

The conviction stemmed from an incident in November 2018, in Fort Thompson, when Hawk knowingly engaged in and attempted to engage in a sexual act with an individual by the use of force.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.

Hawk was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.  

Judge sentences St. Louis man for carjacking and being a felon in possession of a firearm

 ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig sentenced Devion Perryman to 78 months in prison today. The 24-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On February 6, 2019, a victim parked his car behind a residence on McCree Avenue in St. Louis. While the victim was on a cell phone in his vehicle, Perryman approached and pointed a semi-automatic pistol at the victim.  The gun had a green laser site, which was illuminated. Perryman demanded the victim get out of the vehicle and walk to the gangway between the buildings. At gunpoint, Perryman told the victim to put his keys and cell phone on the ground. The victim complied. While still pointing the gun at the victim, Perryman picked up the cell phone and keys, got into the victim’s vehicle and drove off.

Officers worked with the vehicle’s manufacturer to get its location. Later that evening, officers spotted the stolen vehicle at the intersection of Labadie and Newstead. Spike strips were deployed causing the stolen vehicle’s tires to deflate. Perryman continued to speed away.

Perryman refused to stop until leaving the roadway and crashing into a residence. Officers saw Perryman run from the vehicle and hide between some buildings. During a search of the area, officers spoke to a resident who told them the person they were looking for was inside a house. Officers found Perryman hiding in the basement and arrested him.

Police found a pistol matching the one used in the carjacking hidden under the porch of a neighboring residence. The gun’s magazine was loaded with a round in the chamber.

The St. Louis City Metropolitan Police Department and FBI investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is handling the case.

Rochester Man Pleads Guilty To Dealing Ecstasy

BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Tomas Martinez-Devedia, 27, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possessing with intent to distribute and distributing MDMA (Ecstasy). The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $1,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Misha Couslon, who is handling the case, stated that in June 2018, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began investigating the defendant's possession and distribution of controlled substances that he acquired via Bitcoin. On October 26 and December 3, 2018, HSI conducted controlled purchases of MDMA from Martinez-Devedia. On December 10, 2018, investigators executed a search warrant at the defendant’s University Avenue apartment in Rochester. They recovered cutting agents, a scale, $4,990.00, multiple electronic devices, and three bags containing suspected ketamine.

The defendant was charged by a criminal complaint December 2018 and, following his initial appearance in District Court, was released on conditions, including that he not commit any offense in violation of federal, state, or local law. On January 6, 2020, Customs and Border Protection notified HSI that three international mail parcels originating in Barcelona, Spain, and destined for two addresses in the Rochester area, had been inspected and found to contain a brown chunky substance that field tested positive for MDMA. On January 10, 2020, members of the United States Postal Inspection Service conducted a controlled delivery of the three suspicious postal packages. Investigators then executed search warrants at the two locations. When questioned, the recipients of the packages advised investigators that the packages were supposed to be delivered to the defendant. Later that day, investigators conducted a controlled delivery of two parcels filled with sham to the defendant, who was arrested at that time.

The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Rose Brophy, Director of Field Operations; and the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Joseph W. Cronin of the Boston Division.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 24, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Sinatra.

Lincoln Man Sentenced to 47 Years for Trafficking Minors

 United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Devin L. Ashford, 33, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today after being found guilty by a jury of Sex Trafficking of a Minor; Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; Production of Child Pornography; and Interstate Transportation for Prostitution.  Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Ashford to 564 months (47 years) in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.  After his release from prison, Ashford will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.

When pronouncing sentence, Chief Judge Gerrard noted that he was particularly concerned with deterrence in this case, both specific deterrence to Ashford and general deterrence, stating, “For those thinking that pimping is a lifestyle, there will be a cost for doing business.” Here that cost was forty-seven years in federal prison.  Chief Judge Gerrard also specifically recognized the powerful testimony of the victims at trial, which he found to be “compelling” and “horrendous” accounts of their experiences as sex trafficking victims.

Numerous victims testified at trial that Ashford beat, starved, and pushed cocaine on them to get them to provide sexual services. Ashford recruited minors to engage in commercial sex acts so that he could get the financial proceeds from those acts.  The evidence at trial showed that at least three of the minors were children who had either run away from home or were in the foster care system when Ashford targeted them for his trafficking operation. Ashford was also convicted of producing child pornography when he enticed one of his victims to send sexually explicit photos of herself.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lincoln Police Department.

Two Youngstown men each sentenced to more than 15 years for multiple armed robberies

 U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announced that Melvin Lee Jackson, 18, and Edgar Ramirez, 22, both of Youngstown, were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Benita Y. Pearson after they each pleaded guilty to committing a string of armed robberies at several locations in the Youngstown, Struthers and Boardman areas.

“Both of these men will now spend almost two decades behind bars for their actions that terrorized a community,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “The length of these sentences should show that pointing a gun at the head of innocent people simply trying to do their job and demanding money will put you in jail for a very long time.” 

Melvin Lee Jackson was sentenced to 192 months imprisonment and required to pay $7,870.99 in restitution. Edgar Ramirez was sentenced to 228 months and ordered to pay $4,787.62 in restitution.

From December 17 to December 21, 2019, Jackson and Ramirez committed a series of armed robberies at a Speedway in Boardman, a Subway in Youngstown and a Kwik Fill in Struthers. During each robbery, Ramirez and Jackson held store employees at gunpoint, threatened violence and demanded money.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio would like to acknowledge and thank investigators with the Mahoning County Juvenile Justice Center and the Youngstown, Boardman, and Struthers police departments for their cooperation with this matter. These cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David M. Toepfer and Yasmine Makridis.

Lawrenceville Man Charged with Setting Fire to Wilkinsburg Duplex

 PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of Malicious Destruction of Property, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady, announced today.

The one-count Indictment returned on November 17, 2020, named Lawrence Attisano, age 34, of Pittsburgh's Lawrencville neighborhood, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on or about July 16, 2020, Attisano set fire to the duplex located at 421-423 Lamar Avenue in Wilkinsburg. The occupants of the two residences were able to escape without injury.

Attisano faces a maximum sentence of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Allegheny County Fire Marshal’s office conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Greensburg Man Charged with Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine

 PITTSBURGH – A resident of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The one-count Indictment named Tommy Lee Horner, 31, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, from around December 2019 to around January 2020, Horner conspired to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.

For Horner’s offense, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney David Lew is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The United States Postal Inspection Service, Kiskiminetas Township Police Department, and Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Akron man charged with distributing fentanyl that caused overdose death

 U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Cleveland returned a four-count indictment charging Quentin D. Watson, age 34, of Akron with the distribution of fentanyl that resulted in the overdose death of an Akron woman. This charge carries a potential sentencing enhancement due to a death resulting from the use of a controlled substance. The grand jury further charged Watson with additional counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

According to court documents, on June 24, 2020, the defendant is accused of distributing fentanyl to an Akron woman identified in court documents as M.M., who later died after ingesting a fatal dose. On October 24, 2020, Akron police stopped the defendant in a vehicle. A subsequent search resulted in the seizure of fentanyl, methamphetamine and a 9mm pistol. 

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.

In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

The matter was investigated by the Akron Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Aaron P. Howell.

California Man Sentenced to Prison for Misbranding and Smuggling Conspiracy Involving Online Sale and Distribution of Unapproved Drugs Obtained from Overseas

 PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Murrieta, California, was sentenced yesterday in federal court for one count of conspiracy to smuggle misbranded drugs into the United States and introduce them into interstate commerce, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab sentenced Justin Ash, 37, to 24 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. Ash was also ordered to forfeit a total of approximately $780,000.

During his plea hearing on January 16, 2020, Ash admitted that between January 2016 and May 8, 2018, he engaged in a conspiracy to obtain unapproved drugs in bulk quantities from overseas suppliers, including suppliers in China, for the purpose of pressing the drugs into pills and distributing them to customers throughout the United States via his internet-based business Domestic RCS. Ash’s website, www.domesticrcs.com, advertised multiple unapproved or "misbranded" drugs—clonazolam, diclazepam, flubromazolam, and etizolam—each of which was a non-prescription benzodiazepine or substance with a similar chemical composition. As Ash further acknowledged, these substances carried risks of dependency, toxicity, and even fatal overdose, particularly when combined with other central nervous system depressants. Although his website and the packaging contained in his shipments indicated that the substances were for "research purposes only," Ash admitted that he was aware that the vast majority of his customers purchased the drugs for individual consumption. Indeed, Ash or others acting at his direction communicated directly with individual customers about, among other things, the effects of the drugs when used for personal consumption. In an effort to evade detection by United States federal authorities, including the United States Food and Drug Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, and United States Customs and Border Protection, Ash also admitted that he caused his overseas suppliers to ship drugs to multiple addresses under his control and in smaller quantities that would draw less government scrutiny.

Assistant United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. The United States Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the conviction in this case.

Tohajiilee man pleads guilty to murder in Indian Country

                ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. –Tristian Cadman, of Tohajilee, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty today to second-degree murder and using a firearm in a crime of violence.

               A grand jury indicted Cadman on Sept. 11, 2019.  In his plea agreement, Cadman admitted that early in the morning of Aug. 21, 2019, he and an associate armed themselves and attempted to rob the victim and the victim’s companion. Following a scuffle, Cadman shot and killed the victim.  The murder took place on the Navajo Nation. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Cadman faces 10 years to life in prison.

               The FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Spindle is prosecuting the case.

North Carolina Sport Supplement Company and Its Owner Plead Guilty to Unlawful Distribution of Steroid-like Drugs

 A North Carolina resident and his sport supplement company pleaded guilty today to a felony charge relating to the introduction of unapproved new drugs into interstate commerce, the Department of Justice announced.

Brian Michael Parks, 47, of Apex, North Carolina, and MedFitRX, Inc, now known as MedFit Sarmacuticals Inc., a sport supplement company based in Cary, North Carolina, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia to one count of distributing unapproved new drugs with the intent to mislead and defraud the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and consumers. Parks admitted that, from approximately June 2017 to September 2019, he and his company unlawfully distributed Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) and other substances that the FDA has not approved, including Ostarine (MK-2866), Ligandrol (LGD-4033), and Testolone (RAD-140). SARMs are synthetic chemicals designed to mimic the effects of testosterone and other anabolic steroids. The FDA has long warned against the use of SARMs like those found in MedFit products, including stating in a 2017 warning letter to another firm that SARMs have been linked to life-threatening reactions including liver toxicity, and have the potential to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

“Drugs must undergo FDA approval to ensure they are safe and effective for the public, and this defendant put consumers at risk by deliberately ignoring that process,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work hand-in-hand with FDA to investigate and prosecute anyone who puts personal profit before public health.” 

“FDA enforces laws that are designed to protect the public health by ensuring, among other things, that drugs are safe and effective for their intended uses. Drugs disguised as supplements, of unknown origin and possibly toxic ingredients, that are manufactured and distributed outside the FDA’s oversight, endanger consumers,” said Assistant Commissioner for Criminal Investigations Catherine A. Hermsen. “We remain committed to pursuing and bringing to justice those who mislead the public and attempt to subvert the regulatory functions of the FDA by distributing unapproved and potentially dangerous products.” 

“Parks and his company put his customers’ health at risk when he unlawfully distributed drugs without their being FDA approved,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bubar. “FDA regulations are integral to safeguarding consumers, and I am proud of our federal team that took on this investigation to ensure the process and the public are protected.”

In connection with his plea, Parks agreed to forfeit $1.2 million, reflecting the amount of MedFitRX products he sold across the United States through retail outlets and over the internet.

In pleading guilty, Parks also admitted that he intended to mislead and defraud the FDA and consumers by omitting ingredients on MedFitRX product labels, falsely claiming MedFitRX was licensed and registered to sell these new drugs, importing raw drug ingredients with the intent to avoid regulatory scrutiny, and misrepresenting MedFitRX products as “dietary supplements” or “sports supplements” to create the impression that they were safe and legal to use. 

U.S. District Judge James P. Jones heard the defendants’ guilty pleas in federal court in Abingdon, Virginia, and set sentencing for Feb. 16, 2021.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Ramseyer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Speare Hodges of the Department of Justice Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. This matter was investigated by the FDAs Office of Criminal Investigations.

Register for “Dual System Youth: At the Intersection of Child Maltreatment and Delinquency.”

 Across the country, child welfare and juvenile justice systems now recognize that youth involved in both systems (i.e., dual system youth) are a vulnerable population who often go unrecognized because of challenges in information-sharing and cross system collaboration. In light of these challenges, national incidence rates of dual system youth are not known.

To address this gap in knowledge, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded the presenters a grant to: (1) propose a methodology to generate a national estimate of dual system youth, their trajectories leading to multiple system involvement, and the key characteristics/trajectories of this population; and (2) identify the successes and challenges associated with cross-system collaboration and information sharing in jurisdictions.

This presentation will summarize the work of this study as well as continuing research in the area. Specifically, presenters will discuss the recommended terminology for the various permutations of dual system youth and their pathways to system involvement. The outcomes of three feasibility studies using linked administrative data from Cook County, Cuyahoga County, and New York City will be presented, which include summary profiles of youth and incidence rates of dual system youth based on pathway to system involvement. Best practices for dual system youth and cross-system collaboration will then be discussed, including a description of a best practices rubric that can be used to capture the use of best practices for dual system youth within jurisdictions and specific examples of implementing these practices from the field. Recommendations for reducing and addressing dual system involvement will also be discussed. 

The webinar will be held Thursday, December 3, 2020 from 2:00-4:00 pm ET. Register to attend, and/or get notified when the transcript and recording are available.

REGISTER

Kansas Man Indicted with Hate Crime for Racially-Motivated Threat of a Minor and for Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm

 The Justice Department announced that a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging Colton Donner, 25, with threatening an African-American male juvenile, because of the victim’s race and because the victim was living in a home in Paola, Kansas, in violation of Title 42, U.S. Code, Section 3631.

For a separate incident, Donner was charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm while being a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). 

The indictment alleges that Donner shouted racial slurs and brandished a knife, a dangerous weapon, at the victim in Paola, Kansas. The indictment further alleges that Donner, knowing he was a convicted felon, possessed .44 caliber revolver.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Donner faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for both the civil rights and firearm charges.

The case is being investigated by the Kansas City Field Office of the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tristan Hunt of the United States Attorney’s Office and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.

Lackawanna County Man Charged With Distribution Of Fentanyl Resulting In Death

 SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 17, 2020, Robert Jackson, age 42, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for drug distribution resulting in death.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Jackson knowingly and intentionally distributed a controlled substance, fentanyl, within the Middle District of Pennsylvania, resulting in the death of a person.

The charges stem from a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Scranton, the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, and the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department.  United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. 

In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute for drug distribution resulting in death is life imprisonment.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs.  For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

Chelsea Man Pleads Guilty to 11 Armed Robberies

 Defendant was on supervised release at the time of the robberies

BOSTON – A Chelsea man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to robbing 11 convenience and variety stores in 2017 and 2018. At the time of the offenses the defendant was on federal supervised release after having had his federal sentence reduced following a Supreme court decision. 

Rigoberto Ramirez, 47, pleaded guilty on Nov. 19, 2020 to 11 counts of armed robbery, one count of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for March 22, 2021. Ramirez was arrested on March 28, 2019.

Between Dec. 9, 2017 and Jan. 24, 2018, a group of at least four individuals, including Ramirez, conspired to rob, and did rob, 10 convenience and variety stores in the greater Boston area, and attempted to rob another store. During a Jan. 8, 2018 robbery, a firearm was discharged.

Ramirez was sentenced to 12 years in prison following a conviction for distribution of cocaine base and conspiracy in in 2011, although that sentence was subsequently reduced to time served in 2016 based on a 2015 Supreme Court decision.

Each count of armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence carries a minimum mandatory sentence of five years and up to life in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner William Gross; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes; Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary; Malden Police Chief Kevin Molis; Peabody Police Chief Thomas M. Griffin; and Winthrop Police Chief Terence Delehanty made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine and Robert E. Richardson of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.

Bristol Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Offense

 John H. Durham. United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JEFFREY L. BACON, 61, of Bristol, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before to one count of soliciting child pornography.

Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the court proceeding before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez occurred via videoconference.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2018, Bacon began communicating with a 15-year-old girl through the Kik messaging application after he had met the girl in a Kik chat group for teens.  Knowing that he was communicating with a minor, Bacon sent the girl sexually explicit pictures of himself and described various sexual acts that he wanted to engage in with the girl.  The girl told her mother who reported the communications to the police.

On October 30, 2018, a law enforcement officer assumed the girl’s Kik identity to continue to correspond with Bacon.  Bacon asked the undercover officer, who was posing as the girl, to remind Bacon of her age.  The officer responded with “15.”  From October 30 to November 1, Bacon repeatedly sent sexually explicit pictures and videos of himself to the undercover officer.  Bacon also requested sexually explicit pictures in return.  During their conversations, Bacon asked the undercover officer if he could pick her up from school so he could see her.  Bacon suggested they could go to the mall where the girl could try on clothes while Bacon watched and engaged in a sexual act.  Bacon also discussed going to a motel with the girl to engage in sexual acts with her.

On November 19, 2018, Bacon was arrested on related state charges.  During a subsequent forensic examination of Bacon’s laptop computer, investigators found images of child pornography, including images depicting prepubescent females engaged in sexual acts with adults.

Bacon was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on July 26, 2019.

Bacon is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on March 3, 2021, at which time he faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  He is released on a $100,000 bond and is under electronic monitoring pending sentencing.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Enfield Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

Final Defendant and Drug Supplier in Anne Arundel and Calvert County Drug Conspiracy Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges

 Three Co-Defendants Previously Pleaded Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine, and Crack Cocaine

Baltimore, Maryland – Larry Michael Brown, age 62, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to three counts of using a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking conspiracy.  Three co-defendants previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug conspiracy.  

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jesse R. Fong of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; and Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans.

According to his guilty plea, in November 2018, Brown was identified as a heroin supplier to Watson Patrick Bruce, a/k/a “Tree,” whom the DEA had been investigating for dealing large quantities of narcotics in Anne Arundel and Calvert counties.  During the course of the investigation, law enforcement overheard phone conversations between Brown and Bruce discussing the quality of narcotics supplied by Brown to Bruce.

For example, on February 27, 2019, Brown contacted Bruce to check on the quality of two batches of narcotics that Brown had provided to Bruce the previous day.  On March 1, 2019, Bruce contacted Brown to express his preference for a particular batch, based on customer feedback, which Brown and Bruce called interchangeably “classic” or “old school.”  Brown agreed to sell Bruce his preferred batch of narcotics in whatever amount he requested.  On March 12, 2019, Brown again reached out to Bruce to discuss the quality of drugs he’d provided to Bruce two days prior.

On March 15, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Brown’s residence and seized a digital scale with heroin residue.  Brown also consented to a search of his vehicle, where investigators found an additional scale with heroin residue.

Bruce, age 36, of Millersville, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine, and related charges.  Bruce admitted that he committed these crimes while on supervised release for a previous federal felony drug conviction.  On March 15, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Bruce’s residence and seized approximately 78 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl and 69 grams of fentanyl.  If the Court accepts his plea, Bruce is expected to be sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for the drug case, and a consecutive year in prison for violating his federal supervised release.

Co-defendants Lawrence Michael Branch, age 34, of Odenton, Maryland, and Todd Rayshard Thomas, a/k/a “Little Man,” age 36, of Annapolis, Maryland, were identified during the investigation as assisting Bruce with the distribution of narcotics.  Thomas, who was on probation at the time for a previous state narcotics conviction, also assisted in collecting the proceeds of the drug dealing.  On March 15, 2019, Thomas dumped heroin down the bathroom toilet and sink as investigators executed a search warrant at his residence.  Meanwhile, Branch, fleeing in a vehicle from law enforcement, tossed small baggies containing heroin and fentanyl out of the window and dumped heroin and fentanyl out of the window.  Both pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug conspiracy.  Branch was sentenced to five years in federal prison.  If the Court accepts his plea, Thomas is expected to be sentenced to seven years in federal prison.

Brown faces a maximum sentence of four years in federal prison for each of the three counts.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for Bruce and Brown on January 21, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., respectively.  Judge Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for Thomas on February 18, 2021, at 11:30 a.m.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DEA and the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked the Anne Arundel and Prince George’s County Police Departments for their assistance.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samika N. Boyd and Joseph R. Baldwin, who are prosecuting the case.

Nashville Woman Pleads Guilty In Heroin & Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy

 Drug Shipments Orchestrated from Tennessee State Prison - Plea Agreement Calls for 25 Years in Prison

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – November 24, 2020 – A Nashville woman pleaded guilty yesterday to her involvement in a drug distribution conspiracy that pumped enormous amounts of illegal and deadly drugs into the Nashville area, announced  U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee. 

Jennifer Montejo, 32, was charged in a criminal complaint on December 12, 2019, with possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 400 grams or more of fentanyl, after being arrested at a Nashville bus station a week earlier as she returned from California, after travelling to Los Angeles, days earlier.  At the time of her arrest, four kilograms of a fentanyl, and a kilogram of heroin were discovered in Montejo’s luggage.   Montejo, at the time, was on bond for state drug charges in Dickson County, Tennessee, which resulted from an incident in July 2019, where the Tennessee Highway Patrol stopped Montejo on Interstate 40, as part of the on-going investigation as she was travelling from California, and subsequently found approximately ¾ of a kilogram of pills containing fentanyl, about one kilogram of heroin, and three firearms. 

In addition to the conspiracy, Montejo pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl; possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug crime; and money laundering. 

The elaborate scheme involved several co-conspirators, including the leader of the conspiracy who orchestrated the operation from his prison cell at a state prison facility in Nashville.  The scheme resulted in dozens of kilograms of illicit drugs and thousands of pills, including heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and marijuana shipped or brought into the mid-state and was carried out by the use of contraband cell phones which were unlawfully smuggled into the prison.  The conspirators used WhatsApp, an encrypted communication service, to communicate about drugs, drug proceeds, firearms and violence.  The incarcerated leader even offered significant monetary incentives to others to apply for employment with state or privately run prisons to aid in the illegal smuggling of contraband into the prisons.  Montejo herself applied for employment as a guard with the prison in June 2019. 

The scheme also involved the transfer of hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds to Mexico and horrific violence towards co-conspirators who failed at their mission.  For instance, on November 3, 2019, a woman was found near a Nashville park whose hand had been severed because she lost $50,000 in drug proceeds which she was transporting by bus.  In another instance, the leader of the conspiracy ordered another co-conspirator to cut off his own pinky finger to prove his loyalty. 

In furtherance of their drug conspiracy, Montejo and others regularly carried firearms between Nashville and California and continued to distribute counterfeit roxycodone pills, even after learning that people who ingested them ended up in hospital emergency rooms. 

This investigation is continuing and to date has resulted in eighteen people being charged with federal drug distribution and other offenses.  Montejo will be sentenced on March 26, 2021 and the other cases are pending disposition.

This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations; Homeland Security Investigations; the Drug Enforcement Administration; The FBI; the Tennessee Highway Patrol; the Tennessee Department of Corrections – Office of Investigations; and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sunny A.M. Koshy and Brooke K. Schiferle.

Other defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Purdue Pharma L.P. Pleads Guilty To Federal Felonies Relating To The Sale And Marketing Of Prescription Opioids

 Plea includes admission to a violation of the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute investigated by the Vermont U.S. Attorney’s Office

BURLINGTON – Opioid company Purdue Pharma LP (Purdue) pleaded guilty today in federal court in Newark, New Jersey, to conspiracies to defraud the United States and to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute.

United States Attorney for the District of Vermont, Christina Nolan, stated: “I am proud of my office’s contribution to this investigation, leading to Purdue’s guilty plea in New Jersey to Count Three of the Information, charging Purdue with conspiring with an electronic medical records company to violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute.  As today’s felony guilty pleas demonstrate, Purdue put opioid profits ahead of people and corrupted the sacred doctor-patient relationship.  We hope the company’s guilty plea sends a message that the Justice Department will not allow big pharma and big tech to engage in illegal profit-generating schemes that interfere with sound medicine. We hope, also, that this guilty plea will bring some sense of justice to those who have suffered from opioid addictions involving oxycodone and some vindication for families and loved ones of those who did not survive such addiction.”   

Purdue pleaded guilty to an Information charging it with three felony offenses: one count of dual-object conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and two counts of conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute. U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo will schedule sentencing at a later date.  

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Vermont led the investigation of Purdue’s unlawful conduct underlying Count Three of the Information, a charge of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute.  The Vermont investigation revealed that, from April 2016 through December 2016, Purdue made nearly $1 million in payments to Practice Fusion, Inc., an electronic health records company, in exchange for Practice Fusion installing a prompt in its software intending to cause doctors to refer, recommend, and arrange for the ordering of Purdue’s extended release opioid products – OxyContin, Butrans, and Hysingla.  The Chairman of Purdue’s Board of Directors, Robert S. Miller, admitted today in federal court that one purpose of the software prompt was to increase Purdue’s extended release opioid sales and that it knew it was unlawful to provide remuneration in exchange for arranging for, or recommending, such prescriptions.  Purdue Chairman Miller further admitted Purdue was in fact guilty of conspiring with Practice Fusion to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute.  At the conclusion of today’s change of plea hearing, Judge Arleo adjudged Purdue guilty of all three felonies charged by the Department of Justice in an Information filed this week.  U.S. Attorney Nolan commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Drescher and Owen Foster and healthcare fraud investigator George Thabault for their hard and groundbreaking work to secure this historic conviction and to hold accountable a big pharma company that contributed to the opioid addiction crisis in the United States through its unlawful marketing.  Purdue’s guilty plea marks the first time in history that a pharmaceutical company has been found guilty in connection with a relationship with an electronic health records company.

As part of today’s guilty plea, Purdue also admitted to conduct underlying Counts One and Two, which were investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch.  That investigation revealed that, from May 2007 through at least March 2017, Purdue conspired to defraud the United States by impeding the lawful function of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Purdue represented to the DEA that it maintained an effective anti-diversion program when, in fact, Purdue continued to market its opioid products to more than 100 health care providers whom the company had good reason to believe were diverting opioids and by reporting misleading information to the DEA to boost Purdue’s manufacturing quotas. The misleading information comprised prescription data that included prescriptions written by doctors that Purdue had good reason to believe were engaged in diversion. The conspiracy also involved aiding and abetting violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by facilitating the dispensing of its opioid products, including OxyContin, without a legitimate medical purpose, and thus without lawful prescriptions.  Purdue also admitted it conspired to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, between June 2009 and March 2017, by making payments to two doctors through Purdue’s physician speaker program to induce those doctors to write more prescriptions for Purdue’s opioid products.

Under terms of the plea agreement, Purdue agreed to the imposition of the largest penalties ever levied against a pharmaceutical manufacturer, including a criminal fine of $3.544 billion and an additional $2 billion in criminal forfeiture. For the $2 billion forfeiture, the company will pay $225 million following the entry of a judgment of conviction in accordance with the Plea Agreement. Purdue has also agreed to a civil settlement that provides the United States with an allowed, unsubordinated, general unsecured bankruptcy claim for recovery of $2.8 billion to resolve its civil liability under the False Claims Act. 

The criminal and civil resolutions, which were announced on October 21, 2020, do not include the criminal release of any individuals, including members of the Sackler family, nor are any of the company’s executives or employees receiving civil releases.

On November 17, 2020, the bankruptcy court in the Southern District of New York approved the financial terms of the global resolution with the company. The resolution includes the condition that the company cease to operate in its current form and instead emerge from bankruptcy as a public benefit company (PBC) or entity with a similar mission designed for the benefit of the American public. The proceeds of the PBC will be directed toward state and local opioid abatement programs. 

The global resolution does not resolve claims that states may have against Purdue or members of the Sackler family, nor does it impede the debtors’ or other third parties’ ability to recover any fraudulent transfers.

The criminal investigations leading to Purdue’s guilty plea were conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Vermont and New Jersey, the Consumer Protection Branch of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, and the FBI’s Washington, D.C., and Newark Field Offices, with assistance by DEA. 

Appearing on behalf of the United States at today’s hearing in federal District Court in New Jersey were Assistant United States Attorneys J. Stephen Ferketic and Sean Sherman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, Assistant United States Attorney Owen C.J. Foster of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont, and Trial Attorney Gabriel Scannapieco, of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch.  Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher investigated and prosecuted Count Three of the Information together with AUSA Foster. 

Sutton Man Charged with Child Pornography Possession

 BOSTON – A Sutton man was arrested and charged today with possession of child pornography.

Oliver Smith, 45, a citizen of Sweden and the United States, was charged by criminal complaint with possession of child pornography. Following an initial appearance this afternoon before Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy, Smith was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Dec. 3, 2020.

According to the criminal complaint, on Nov. 15, 2020, after receiving investigative information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Swedish law enforcement authorities, and conducting its own investigation, federal agents executed a search warrant at Smith’s Sutton residence and seized several devices. A preliminary forensic review of devices seized revealed images and videos of child pornography. During an interview with federal agents, Smith admitted that he had downloaded child pornography upon his return to the U.S. from Sweden.

Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.

The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; David Magdycz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Sutton Police Chief Dennis J. Towle made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office and Jessica Urban of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood.  In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

The details contained in the criminal complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

Zapata man sentenced after attempting to smuggle 18 bundles of marijuana

 LAREDO, Texas – A 44-year-old U.S. citizen has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of conspiring to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

Roberto Villarreal, Zapata, pleaded guilty Aug. 4.

Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo handed Villarreal a 120-month sentence to be immediately followed by eight years of supervised release.

At the hearing, the court heard that he has two prior federal marijuana-related convictions and was serving a supervised term of release for one of those sentences when he was arrested for the current crime. The court revoked the remainder of that term and ordered Villarreal serve an additional 30 months to be served concurrently for a total 120-month term of imprisonment.

Villarreal admitted that on March 15 he drove to a ranch near Falcon Lake intending to pick up 183 kilograms of marijuana. He initially grabbed the 18 bundles, but saw authorities and returned the drugs to the ranch and intended to get them later.

Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop, at which time Villarreal admitted his plan. He then led them to the ranch where he left the drugs. There, authorities discovered a boot print matching Villarreal’s shoes.

Villarreal has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol and the Zapata County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Harrison prosecuted the case.

MS-13 members charged with murder

 HOUSTON – Five local members of the violent Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) international street gang are set to appear in court following charges of conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

Wilson Jose Ventura-Mejia, 24, Jimmy Villalobos-Gomez, 23, Angel Miguel Aguilar-Ochoa, 35, Walter Antonio Chicas-Garcia, 23, and Marlon Miranda-Moran, 21, will appear for their arraignments and detention hearings via video before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam S. Sheldon at 10 a.m. All are El  Salvadorian nationals who illegally resided in Houston. Also charged is Franklin Trejo-Chavarria, 23, who is currently in custody in El Salvador.

A federal grand jury returned the indictment Nov. 12. All are charged with conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering.  

The indictment alleges they committed a 2018 murder in furtherance of the MS-13 enterprise. The victim was allegedly beaten to death with machetes in order for the defendants to further their positions in the enterprise. 

If convicted, they face a potential death sentence.

The FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Britni Cooper and John Michael Lewis are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Julie A. Finocchiaro, Gerald Collins and Matthew Hoff from the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

Register for “Delinquency, Victimization, and the Developing Brain: Results from the ABCD-Social Development Study.”

 

The Adoescent Brain Cognitive Development – Social Development Study (ABCD-SD) is a longitudinal study on the relationship between the developing brain and delinquency and victimization. Supplementing ABCD brain and cognitive development measures, ABCD-SD protocol measures a wide array of delinquency- and victimization-related risks, protective factors and outcomes. These presentations will describe early adolescent findings from ABCD-SD on delinquency and victimization. Presentations include: Early Adolescent Delinquency and Victimization from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study The Social Development Study: Initial Findings A Neurodevelopmental Approach to Understanding the Emergence and Persistence of Delinquency Behaviors The webinar will be held Wednesday, December 2, 2020 from 2:00-4:00 pm ET. Register to attend, and/or get notified when the transcript and recording are available. REGISTER